Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #542: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

From the publisher: Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.

 
After countless failures (let’s not dwell on it), Davi has finally saved the kingdom from evil–by becoming the Dark Lord herself. But now, the hordes of wilders are at her command, and they still want blood. Human blood. And Davi’s not sure she can commit to the total extermination of humanity.  
 
With restless armies at her doorstep, a treasonous duke scheming for power, and the legend of an ancient magician looming over her shoulder, Davi must find a way towards peace and uncover the truth behind her time loop if she is to bring harmony to the kingdom. Also, her girlfriend is mad at her. So, there’s that too.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler is expected out May 27th, 2025 from Orbit Books. This is the second in the Dark Lord Davi duology. The first one was entitled How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.

Why am I waiting on this book? I'm hoping to read both the first book that came out last year and this book. I feel like these books will have some interesting viewpoints. I expect that it will have some humorous moments. I'd like to know if she is able to achieve peace without destroying the human race. And I'm hoping she will be able to break the time loop and reunite with her girlfriend.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Happy Book Birthday to Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg

 

Through Raspberry Colored Glasses wants to wish Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg a Happy Book Birthday!

When dead enemies rise, grave matters of the heart, mind, and body clash in the fantastical fourth Whimbrel House novel by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Whimbrel House is changing. Merritt and Hulda are raising a family. Owein has signed a marriage contract with the magically compatible Lady Cora, a heavyweight of British nobility who’s an ocean away. And the lovely shape-shifting druid Fallon makes a distractingly fetching friend for Owein. But another change is in the air, and this time it’s something wicked.

The greatest wizard of the millennium, Silas Hogwood, is back—after five years dead. New body, same foul scent, and driven by madness and revenge. Owein, fearing he isn’t strong enough to fend off Silas, seeks Cora’s help and influence in England. Alarms ringing, Queen Victoria dispatches her League of Magicians, including her personal necromancer, to aid in Owein’s defense.

As magic, both good and evil, converges on Blaugdone Island, Owein realizes how harrowing the forces against them are. Combating them will require some digging—literally—for half-formed secrets of magic Hulda doesn’t want him to have. But no promise, lock, or government red tape will keep Owein from doing what’s necessary to protect those he loves. One way or another, Silas will only take Whimbrel House over Owein’s third dead body.

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg is released today from 47North.

I've been eagerly awaiting this one. I started reading it and already I find myself engaged. If you enjoy historical fantasy, this would be a good book/series for you. Honestly I would have to recommend reading the series in order so as not to miss a thing. Silas Hogwood was a villain in earlier books as well. And then Owein wasn't quite the same as he is now either.

Check it out!

Book Review: Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

 

From the publisher:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project yet: studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world: How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.

Emily Wlde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett was released February 11th, 2025 from Del Rey.

My Thoughts: In this third book in the series, the story is told from Emily's point of view. We see her worries and her joys as she and Wendell claim his throne in Faerie. This is the perfect point of view for the book considering it is pretty much Emily and her adventures for a good portion of the book. Nothing wrong with that. 

Former Queen Arna has put a curse on the land. It's harming groves of trees and killing both plants and Folk that happen to be within the area it strikes. Together Wendell and Emily must find a cure for the blight and a suitable punishment for the former Queen.

Wendell's assuming the throne and having to deal with such problems allows us to see how far he's grown since meeting Emily. And Emily consults her books to find the best path forward that will yield the best results.

There is some travelling around the kingdom with Emily and Wendell. Once the problem escalates though, it's mostly Emily and ever-faithful Shadow on the road together. I think she shows great bravery and strength of character.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a little slow in places, but it didn't stop me from wanting to know what was going to happen next. I would recommend reading the books in the series in order to get the most out of this one. There are previous characters who have parts in this book. And there are some references to previous adventures. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a good fantasy based on the Folk. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review. All opinions therein are my own.